Sanders campaign has given $275,000 to nonprofit founded by wife, stepson, so far this year

Friends of Bernie Sanders, the main campaign committee for the Vermont independent senator, has given $275,000 to the Sanders Institute, a nonprofit founded by Sanders' wife and stepson, campaign records show.

The first donation of $100,000 was made in January 2023, with a second donation for the same amount in March, according to Federal Election Commission records.

The latest donation was for $75,000 on Aug. 8, according to filings for the third quarter of 2023.

Sanders' wife, Jane O'Meara Sanders, founded the institute and alongside her son, David Driscoll, who still serves as an executive director of the group, according to the institute's website.

The think tank, which was founded the same year Sanders ran for president in 2016, states that its mission is to "revitalize democracy by actively engaging individuals, organizations and the media in the pursuit of progressive solutions to economic, environmental, racial and social justice issues."

The Vermont-based group previously came under scrutiny in 2019, and the group temporarily suspended operations that year "so there could not even be an appearance of impropriety," Jane Sanders told The Associated Press at the time as her husband prepared for the 2020 Democratic presidential primary.

Under federal election law, campaign committees can make charitable donations, but the "amount donated to a charitable organization cannot be used for purposes that personally benefit the candidate," according to the election commission.

"The facts present in this case and the family ties involved certainly raise legitimate concern," Foundation for Accountability and Civic Trust Executive Director Kendra Arnold told Fox News Digital. "Obviously, a senator is not allowed to use his campaign to simply transfer large sums of money to family members – regardless of the route the dollars take."

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